The Pope and Ginger Spice's Romantic Rendezvous

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"Lil where are you going?" Marlene shouted into her ear, her platinum blonde wig jostling precariously atop her head as people pushed past her to get to the table of drinks.

"I'm just going to get a bit of fresh air, it's a bit hot in here!"

"Yeah, sorry love that's probably because I'm in here," a familiar voice said from behind her. Sirius was almost unrecognisable in his James Dean costume, but the familiar lazy smirk on his face couldn't be mistaken.

"Fuck off Black," Lily retorted as she watched him snog her friend a little too passionately than was appropriate. "Marl, I'll just be out on the terrace if you need anything!" Lily shouted, doubting that her friend or her boyfriend had even heard her.

Lily hated parties; primarily because parties meant being surrounded by people, having your ears assaulted by deafeningly loud music, and because it meant you usually had to get tarted up. But tonight was Marlene's twenty-third birthday and as much as Lily had wanted to skip out on another one of her friend's Halloween birthday bashes, she just couldn't find it in herself to do it. Not this one at least. And besides, it was hard to skip out on a party when you lived at the place that said party was being held.

The drink in her hand sloshed dangerously close to the edges of the plastic cup as she battled and jostled her way through to the balcony in the other end of the room. She was surrounded by people she didn't know, and the ones she did know had left long ago; leaving her all to her lonesome with a flat full of strangers.

Finally, after feeling like she had run a half-marathon, Lily opened the French doors into the terrace and shut them behind her. The air was cool and there was a biting chill, but she would rather be out alone in the cold than holed up inside with around a hundred other people encroaching on her personal space. Almost immediately the music and noise from inside was drowned out and Lily sighed as she took a small sip of water from her cup.

Above her the night sky was clear and Lily stared at the full moon and stars. As a child she had always been a fan of astrology and she traced the constellations she could find with her finger as a light breeze chilled her skin. She probably should have thought to bring a coat before coming out, but the prospect of going back inside - if even for a moment - terrified her.

"Oi!" A voice from below disturbed the peace and calm of her terrace and Lily frowned as she looked down to see who had ruined it.

Placing her hands on the railing of the terrace, Lily leaned over it and looked for the source of the voice. A few children with pumpkin baskets walked past, and Lily almost leaned away, convinced that the person hadn't meant to speak to her, before the voice yelled again.

"Is anyone up there?"

"Who's speaking? Show yourself!" From the street below, a few people were beginning to notice Lily and her mystery bloke shouting to one another, and she smiled apologetically at a couple walking their dog.

A few seconds of silence passed before finally a tall figure walked out from underneath the front door below and waved at her. He looked ridiculous of course, and she wondered who in their right mind would ever want to dress up as the Pope for a Halloween party. Nonetheless, despite his questionable taste in costumes Lily squinted into the night as she tried to figure out who it was. The hat he was wearing was making it difficult and so too did the dim streetlights.

"What's the Pope doing in Chelsea?" Lily said, opting not to shout and instead to raise her voice just a little bit so as not to bring anymore attention to the two of them.

"What? Can't the Pope have a bit of fun?" She snorted at his response and Lily wondered if the Pope would appreciate his likeness being represented at a twenty-first party. "It's tough being the head of the Catholic Church you know! Heaps of pressure, bit a drag sometimes too."

"Yeah I reckon living it up in riches is really tough sometimes." This time it was his turn to scoff.

"Writing sermons and all that isn't as easy as you'd think, you cheeky bird." The Pope, or whoever he really was, stepped further back from the front door and finally looked up at her. His face was still shrouded in shadows but from what little she could see, he had glasses on and seemed quite tall. "Now listen, d'you reckon you could let me up?"

"How do I know you aren't some kind of serial killer!" Lily said as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "You know, I've seen the Ted Bundy tapes on Netflix, you could be just like him! He was charming and all that too!"

"You think I'm charming do you?" Lily blushed. It had slipped out of her mouth before she could do anything to stop it, and unluckily for her, he had picked up on it. "If you let me up I'll prove that I'm not like that Ted Bundy bloke! I mean would a serial killer dress up as the Pope?"

"It's exactly what a serial killer would do! Lull his victims into a false sense of security. Make them believe he's a virtuous bloke, when really he's just plotting to kill them!"

"For someone who claims that I'm a serial killer, you sure do know a lot about them. How do I know you aren't one?"

"Would the both of you just shut your pie holes and get a bloody room? I'm trying to watch Westworld!" A third voice interrupted from the flat next door. Lily apologetically waved at her neighbour and waited until he was gone before looking back down at the Pope and laughing.

"Ten bucks says he's wanking off to porn right now," the Pope said as he removed his hat, tucking it into a pocket in the robes he wore. Lily scrunched her face up at the thought of her neighbour doing just that, and despite the Pope probably being right about it, she couldn't even imagine it. "Do you know what this reminds me of?"

"What?"

"That scene in Romeo and Juliet." Lily heard him chuckle and she smiled. He was absolutely right, but she was sure standing out on a balcony would be better in Italy than it was in London. And on a cold evening no less.

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo!" Lily sighed as her companion roared with laughter.

"Something about roses and names comes next doesn't it?" Lily nodded. "I've always been rubbish at remembering lines."

"You must make a pretty rotten Pope then, remembering lines is sort of your job isn't it?"

"I dunno, I guess. Wouldn't be the first time I've been shit at a job. Look, I love that we're playing out a Romeo and Juliet moment here, mind you I reckon that Romeo was a right arse, but would you let me up? I reckon it'd be easier to get to know you if I'm there with you, and I'm already unbelievably late, as you'd know. I reckon Marlene will nag my ear off to within an inch of my life if I don't show up at all."

"Are you Remus? Sirius' friend?" Lily recalled that Sirius said he'd be bringing along his mate Remus tonight.

"No, he's feeling a bit under the weather tonight, I'm the rubbish consolation prize." He shifted a little on his feet but looked up at her again, "But if you could just let me up I can tell you who I moonlight as when I'm not the Pope!"

"The door's open, just come on up. Fair warning though, there's quite a crowd in there. And I wouldn't recommend the punch!"

The Pope gave her a thumbs up and thanked her before he put his hat back on and disappeared underneath the balcony. The faint sound of the door opening and closing told her that he had come in and Lily sighed as she watched people walking with their children, significant other, or dogs on the footpaths below.

It was ridiculous that she was feeling nervous about him coming up to her flat. He seemed like a nice bloke, and he obviously wasn't a serial killer, but she wondered if he'd be just as charming up close like he had been from below the balcony. As the French doors behind her opened, Lily supposed that she'd be getting her answer sooner rather than later.

"So do I call you Geri or Ginger Spice?"

The hairs on Lily's arms stood in attention at the voice and she smiled as she turned around, not at all surprised to find the Pope standing in front of the French doors. Although, she was surprised by the two cups in his hands and how unlike the Pope he actually looked. In fact, Lily was sure that if he was the Pope, she'd be more than happy to convert to Catholicism.

"Neither actually." She took the cup that he offered and stepped aside as he leaned his back against the terrace railing. "My name's Lily."

"Lily," he said, a small smile on his face as her name rolled off his tongue. "Would it be totally out of line for me to say that you're far prettier than a lily?"

"No, but it would be incredibly cheesy of you."

"Right, noted. Not a fan of cheesy pickup lines?"

"If that's the pickup line, then yeah, no." The Pope nodded and smirked as he took a sip of his drink. Lily did too, and she realised that he'd totally ignored her warning about the punch. "So does Your Holiness work for you?"

"James will do, but Holy Father works too."

Lily nodded and took another sip of the punch, enjoying the way that the liquid warmed her body. Each moment that passed on the terrace seemed to be bringing the temperature lower, but as she felt James' eyes on her, she didn't even notice the cold.

"How do you know Marlene?" he asked as he shuffled closer to her. Lily didn't miss the way that his eyes lingered on her neck and chest, and for the first time that evening she thanked Marlene for forcing her to wear an uncharacteristically short Union Jack dress and red gogo boots.

"We went to the same school together." James nodded. The hat that he had been wearing downstairs was long gone, and as Lily glanced at the party inside, she could've sworn she spotted a gorilla wearing a white Papal hat. "How do you know Sirius?"

"Yeah same, although he came to live with me and my parents when we were fifteen, and I've been trying to get rid of him ever since," he joked.

A few moments of silence passed between them as each of them no doubt were trying to form an impression of one another. From the little she knew of James, he seemed like a nice bloke. A little rough around the edges, but everything about him so far seemed like he was someone who was interesting and kind, and dare she say it completely fit.

Lily glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and blushed when she noticed that he was staring at her too. She had dated her fair share of guys, both British and American - the latter when she had studied overseas, and James was certainly not what she'd consider her type. She was normally attracted to guys who were more muscled, stockier, and with lighter hair and eyes than him. But with a lean build, dark black hair, and eyes that were toffee coloured, James was the complete opposite to what she would consider her 'type'.

"Do you want a jumper or something? I can't imagine you'd be feeling too warm in that dress."

"I'm not actually, but it's alright, I don't really want to go back in there." Lily nodded at the party inside that was still raging. It was almost eleven, and she secretly hoped that one of her neighbours would come and tell them to shut it down, just so she could go and sleep.

"Not a fan of parties?"

Lily shook her head, wrinkling her nose as she looked back at the rager, "Not even a little bit. But especially when they're happening in my house."

"You live here too?" She nodded. "Well seeing as going back inside is going to be a health and safety hazard, you can borrow my robe if you want?"

"No don't worry about it, I'd hate for you to freeze to death because of me."

James quirked his eyebrow at her and shook his head as he unbuttoned his robe, "If there's anyone who's going to freeze to death out here, it'll be you."

"Before you take that robe off, you are wearing something underneath aren't you?"

"Ye of such little faith Lily, of course I am! Do you know how itchy this thing is? It's not like I'm a pervert or anything."

Lily watched as he concentrated on getting the last few buttons undone on the white robe. He really did have nice hands: long fingers, tan skin, and perfectly shaped nail beds with neatly trimmed nails. They were hands that could be modelling hand creams and lotions, and she wondered what exactly it was that he did with his time.

"I'm a med student," he replied as he shrugged off the robe and draped it around her shoulders.

She hadn't meant to voice her question aloud, but was surprised by his answer nonetheless, and distracted by his being so close to her. Lily's skin felt sensitive as his hands skimmed along her shoulders and collarbone, a look of concentration on his face as he fastened the first two buttons of the robe.

"That was supposed to be an internal question, it just sort of slipped out."

"It's alright, because now it gives me an excuse to ask you what you do." Lily didn't miss the way his fingertips lingered on her chest, and she worried that he'd feel just how hard her heart was beating, or that he'd notice just how short her breaths were becoming as tension hung thick in the air between them.

"I work at a publishing house," she replied breathily as he shuffled closer to her. She let her eyes glance up and down his body and was surprised by just how muscular he actually was. He was lean, yes, but she could tell that he liked to take care of himself - not at all surprising for someone who was studying to be a doctor. "I'm a junior book editor. Just means I read a lot actually."

"You read?" Lily nodded as an incredulous look passed on James' face. "That's just perfect."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"No I mean, it's brilliant. That's like saying that you breathe for a living, it's just perfect that you read as your job."

"Alright then you sarcastic prat, what do you want to do after you're done with university?"

Lily smiled as he ducked his head and scratched the back of his head, it was endearing how bashful he suddenly felt, "I want to work in paediatric surgery."

"You want to work with kids?"

"Yeah," James admitted. "I've always been good with kids, and my mum and Remus always reckon I never grew out of being one."

"If you never grew out of being a kid, it'd make this whole thing," Lily waved her hand to him and her, "a hundred times more awkward and criminal."

"Not having inappropriate thoughts about a kid are you Lil?"

"Well that'd be something you and the people you work are familiar with, wouldn't it?"

A look of shock crossed James' features and Lily worried that she'd finally put her foot in her mouth and said something grievously offensive. She opened her mouth to apologise but was cut off by his laugh. There was something so mesmerising about his laugh, and Lily found herself joining in.

"Seeing as I've already made my attendance known at this party, and how neither of us are really game on going back in and enjoying everyone else's company, do you want to go out and get some Indian with me?" James asked, a last few bubbles of laughter popping into his words as he did.

"I'd like that."

A hundred watt smile split his face and Lily's heart positively skipped a beat.

James wrapped his arm around her waist, his thumb rubbing against her hip, and led her out of the flat and towards an Indian restaurant just a few streets away. They spoke about their hopes, their childhoods, their past relationships, and everything in between whilst feasting on garlic naan, vindaloo, and tikka masala. So engrossed in one another's presence they'd been that they were eventually ushered out by the old Indian lady that ran the shop.

Settling instead to walk around the streets of Chelsea rather than go back to her flat, they stayed out into the late hours of the night, seeing London's sights in the darkness of the night. She learned that he liked David Bowie and Elton John, his favourite movie was The Blind Side, and his go-to karaoke song was Bohemian Rhapsody. He had travelled all over the world, and his hero was his father.

He played football, polo, liked hunting, shooting, and horse riding, and dabbled in tennis. He admitted rather bashfully that his father had a peerage, and when asked which one or where, he changed the subject and refused to answer. Lily made a note to search the houses of noble families when she had time.

He wasn't perfect, of this she learnt when he told her of how he had been a bully in his youth. But even still, he was perfect for her, and her point was only proven when she spent the rest of the night in his flat, in his bed, and in his embrace.

Lily Evans hated parties. They were loud, claustrophobic, and meant getting tarted up. But if going to a party meant meeting the person who could possibly be her life's great love, she would endure a hundred more just to cross paths with James Potter again.

Author's Note

I hope you liked this one, compared to the rest of my stories this one definitely has its' roots in real life. Mine to be specific.

This is based on how me and my boyfriend met, but instead of the Pope and Ginger Spice, it was Patrick Bateman and (unoriginally) Cher Horowitz. And instead of Indian we went out for Maccas (McDonalds) because that was the only place open.

How did you and your significant other meet? I love hearing stories of how couples met!

As always, don't forget to leave a review, comment, or feedback.

Until next time,

Andy xoxo